Jumbo Shrimp

 Now that's a great shot. This is the kind of card usually limited to Stadium Club, but I'm glad it found its way onto the flagship. That's the kind of thing that will make a collector start a "bat flip" mini-collection.

 The Jumbo Pack was a bit of a disappointment, actually, possibly because Bautista was on top, and set a nigh-on-impossible standard for the rest of the cards. Are those throwback unis for the Tribe, or is that their regular threads? Looks like a retro design, regardless...

The Mays card mentions the story of getting called up to the Giants while he was watching a movie in Sioux City, IA. The theater manager turned up the lights in the middle of the film to ask if a "Willie Mays" was in the audience. Pressed into Service is another pretty cool concept - I hope Adam Dunn's pitching appearance is in the set. I would have gone old school with the Dodgers' BACK to KCAB - Reese and Robinson? Koufax and Drysdale? (Maybe it's only position players?) The Bo Jackson reprint is all fine and dandy. Maybe it will inspire kids to go out and spend the 50 cents for the real thing in all its gum stainy, wood grainy glory. That card should not be glossy!

The King is Dead . . . Long Live the King

Another year is upon us, and next to Opening Day and Spring Training, I can't think of anything more exciting in the baseball world than opening the first pack of cards for the year.

Topps is looking to expand its borders in 2016, all the way past the edge of the cards.

 The first card of 2016 for me is rising star, outfielder Odubel Herrera. He led the Phillies in WAR in 2015, he could do it again this year. He's a Rule 5 draftee, just like my buddy Johan Santana.

the backs.

 The two inserts in the pack - I get what they are going for with Berger's Best, but... Do we really need more reprints? BACK to KCAB is an interesting enough concept to pair some dynamic duos. Should be looking at three Hall of Famers there, hopefully that'll be true this time next year.

Here's the back of the Piazza insert, which Topps has helpfully labeled a REPRINT.

 The best images from the first pack were these two horizontal heroes, hoping to be fully upright and healthy in 2016.

First Twin! First Cy Young Winner! First Rookie! First Mookie!

Overall, I like this set - I got a pack (the ones shown above), a Jumbo Pack, and a Blaster. I'll show the rest over the next two days. I will say there are a lot of closely cropped action shots of the pitchers - Arrieta's card is a better looking example. The smoke effect looked really cool on the Buster Posey preview that Topps released, but on some of the cards, it just obscures the context of the action / play.

2015 Topps is dead. Long Live 2016 Topps!

Twinsfest 2016 - the cards

 The Twins hold a mini yard sale within the Twinsfest event, selling items from their archives - This official scorebook from the 1991 World Series was like new.

 1979 Sportcasters - these are really thin and really big- Bert was a couple teams removed from the Twins when this came out, pitching for Pittsburgh. The back even referenced the trade from Texas for Al Oliver.

 Larry Jansen! This one gets me one card closer to finishing 1948 Bowman. No Rizzuto Rookie at the show.

 1964 Topps Giant.

 the back of the Giant Killer.

 Lots of cheap Mauer cards...

 And Puckett cards - though I had most of the cards for sale. There were three vendors selling the 1984 Fleer Update card, but none for the price I was offering to pay.

 My first IP auto - ever. I always feel a little weird about getting these, and I hate lines with a fiery passion. But getting this auto allowed me to do this:

 Getting a Twins Team Set of the 2014 All-Star Game, autographed.

 This was a real treat! Mudcat was having a great conversation with a 6 year old in line in front of me, and had a big laugh. I didn't even know when I came to the show that he would be there, but once I saw that he was signing for just $5, I found a copy of his 1959 Topps card (the only Topps Base card with "Mudcat") and got in line. I had to wait for about 90 minutes to see him, but it was more than worth it.

 Just a couple more fun ones I found for a great deal. Then it was time for some Set Building:

 Can't beat 1956 Topps.

 There was a copy of Mantle available - but I didn't have or want to spend $300 total at the show, let alone on one piece of cardboard. It has some flaws (rounded corners, a tiny speck of paper loss on the back, some light staining on the edges) but it was otherwise a beautiful card. Oh Well, we'll have to see how I do after tax time and after I invest in my house a bit.. Probably not meant to be!

 Here was my favorite of the new 56s - Billy Pierce running out a bunt!

And I couldn't end the post without showing at least one of these 1956 backs.

Technical Difficulties

Arg - I just spent the last hour scanning items, but nothing actually saved. Have to start all over (but I can't figure out why my scanner and my computer are not talking to each other...). Might not have time to scan these in now.

Here's the big win from yesterday, since I can't scan it:

A Kennys Vargas AA Jersey! This was game worn - Vargas was sent down to Chattanooga last year, and crushed the ball (like he has at every level), and struck out a little too much (like he has at every level)

That's a 3XL - he's a big big dude.

Twinsfest 2016

There were long lines for some of the stars, but we waited patiently like good Minnesotans.

Mudcat! 80 years young.

from L-R: Dan Gladden, Cory Provus (Radio Play-by-play), and Jose Berrios. Gladden was sharing stories about playing baseball in Puerto Rico and eating goat for the first time.

A view of the field and the Minneapolis skyline - That Snow is going melt before Opening Day, we hope.

One of three autographs I waited for this morning.

Twinsfest was a great time - I'll share the great finds tomorrow!